Ep. 295. Romans 6 | The Work of the Cross

EPISODE 295

THE WORK OF THE CROSS: ROMANS 6

Let me try to convey the point of this text in a way that will hopefully drive home the point.

First, "we who died to sin." "baptized into his death." "buried with him by baptism into death." "united with him in a death like his." "our old self was crucified." "One who has died." "If we have died with Christ." Seven of the first eight verses of chapter eight have us believers as counted dead with Christ. We joined Christ in his death and in his crucifixion. Joining in the death of Jesus has overwhelming benefits for us.

"We too might walk in newness of life." "The body of sin would be brought to nothing [rendered powerless]." "The one who has died has been set free from sin." "Consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God." "Sin has no dominion over you." "You were once slaves to sin." "Having been set free from sin." "When you were slaves to sin." "But now that you have been set free from sin."

Let's put these two truths together. We have died, really died with Christ. We have partaken in his death and are, therefore, beneficiaries of his resurrected life. Right now! The power of sin in our lives has been broken, and though we were all once slaves to sin, we have now been set free from sin's power such that it no longer masters us. This is fantastic news and should give us strength and hope in our day-to-day lives. No longer are we bound to say, "I'm only a sinner." Or "I just can't seem to beat or overcome this sin." Our sin has already been beaten and overcome in Christ. We are victors now as well as in the future.

Paul is very repetitious in this section of Romans. Could the first-century follower of Christ have had as much difficulty believing these truths as we modern-day Christians do?

ADDITIONAL READING: 2 Corinthians 5:17